WWF Hungary´s policy work supports efforts to maintain and restore ecosystems and their services in Hungary and to strengthen just transition to a more sustainable society and economy by engaging in relevant national environmental policy processes with the aim of advocating for sustainable development and good natural resource management approaches. WWF Hungary is an active member of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme Office and contributes to environmental and sustainability goals that are relevant for the Danube River Basin and the Carpathian Region.

The Policy Officer contributes to the implementation of WWF Hungary’s conservation and sustainability goals as member of the Conservation Department.

The WWF Hungary Policy Officer

Your duties will include:

A. Strategy and work plan development
Facilitate and guide the development of cross-cutting policy advocacy strategies and plans, focusing especially on:
• key pieces of national legislation, public budget and institutional system for nature conservation;
• policies that strengthen sustainable, nature- and water-friendly landuse, in particular agriculture;
• implementation of SDG’s at national level.
B. Fundraising and proposal writing
• Contribute to the development of proposals to donors, working and collaborating with national and regional partners.
C. Advocacy, Partnership Development, Campaigning, and Networking
• Advise WWF Hungary team members in designing and managing/contributing to sector specific policy advocacy campaigns.
• Provide technical comments and input to policy documents of WWF Hungary and WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme.
• Represent the organization in relevant national/regional/EU forums such as conferences, symposiums, and communicate and promote our policy approaches.
• Engage with governmental institutions primarily at national level to advise on and advocate for WWF Hungary policy approaches and messages.
• Lead or advise on legal action, when appropriate.
• Engage with other NGOs towards joint action and coordinated policy approaches.
• Support the regional policy work of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme Office with relevant national input to shaping the EU level policy development.
• Liaise with colleagues of the global WWF network on joint initiatives.
D. Project and process management
• Support and, where needed, supervise implementation of specific policy related projects and processes.
• Advise WWF Hungary project teams working on sector specific policy issues.
E. Communications
• Work in close coordination with WWF Hungary communication team as well as across the network to communicate issues and achievements to defined target audiences.
• Produce knowledge products demonstrating how WWF driven good governance models are supporting conservation and sustainability in Hungary and the Danube-Carpathian ecoregion.

We expect from you:

Adheres to the WWF mission, as well as lives the WWF-DCP’s values: Empowering People, Trust, Impact Driven, Responsibility, Standard of Excellence

1. Knowledge: (qualifications)
• Advanced university degree in Political Science, Law, Agriculture or other discipline relevant to environment-related policy work.
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in the environmental context.
• Fluent Hungarian and English.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of national and EU environmental policies and legislation and how they are being shaped, integrated planning procedures, and stakeholder involvement.
• Understanding of conservation, politics, socio-economics, and sustainable development issues in Hungary.

2. Experience
• Experience in working with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Experience in engaging with high-level government officials and/or working experience at governmental organisations.
• Experience in policy process management.
• Experience in project proposal writing is an asset.
• Experience in public campaigning is an asset.

3. Skills and Abilities:
• Excellent oral and written communications skills both in Hungarian and English.
• Excellent negotiation skills, relationship management and interpersonal communication.
• Ability to write coherent internal and external policy documents such as memos, advocacy strategies, briefing papers, and position papers.
• Ability to participate effectively in inter-disciplinary teams and to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and external partners, efficient listening skills.
• Good track record/proven abilities of influencing change and improvement in diverse audiences (including outside of direct reports), ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Strong analytical skills and strategic thinking, ability to deal with problems characterized by complexity and uncertainty in a structured, systematic and efficient way; detail oriented.
• Ability to evaluate complex policy and legal evidence. Good knowledge of the core legal frameworks governing the environment, sustainable development and its key principles at the European level.
• An appreciation of the multi-disciplinary nature of environmental law and sustainable development.
• Ability to apply existing knowledge to complex policy and legal contexts for the purposes of problem solving.
• Ability to think creatively and holistically and to make critical judgments. Ability to analyze and handle qualitative and quantitative data.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Windows operating systems; experience in using a variety of databases acquired through training and work experience.

We offer:
• The opportunity to make a difference – for Hungary and for WWF
• Challenging and fulfilling work in one of Europe’s most exciting eco-regions
• Friendly and highly professional working atmosphere in an international context
• Varying tasks and independent work style
• A pleasant working atmosphere and great learning environment
• A competitive salary according to NGO standards

If you are interested in joining the WWF team, email your application documents including your CV and cover letter (in English) to allas@wwf.hu. Application deadline: 23rd of February 2018. Please understand that we can only reply to short-listed candidates. For more information about WWF Hungary, kindly check the website: www.wwf.hu